


The Ornithologists

by NB_Cecil



Series: October OTP Ficlets [10]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: AU, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Lighthouses, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, TNG Bridge Crew Are Ornithologists, lighthouse au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 00:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16253366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NB_Cecil/pseuds/NB_Cecil
Summary: Domestic fluff AU where theTNGbridge crew bridge plus Alexander Rozhenko are ornithologists studying seabirds at Sumburgh Head, Shetland. They live in the lighthouse keepers’ cottages. Alexander tries to sneak into Data and Jean-Luc’s bed in the night for a cuddle.





	The Ornithologists

On hearing the bedroom door creek open Data pauses the computations running in his positronic brain and sits up in bed.

 

“Hello?” He calls, quietly so as not to wake Jean-Luc.

 

“Can I come in?” Alexander stage-whispers from the doorway

 

The Android pushes the covers off his legs, gets out of bed and walks to the door, putting a hand on Alexander’s shoulder to guide him into the corridor.

 

“It is 4:32AM, Alexander. Is something wrong?” Data asks as he closes the door and flips the light on.

 

“Oh no,” Alexander replies, “I just wanted a bed-hug with you and Jean-Luc.”

 

“A bed-hug?”

 

“Yes. A hug. In bed.” Alexander looks expectantly at the Android.

 

Data frowns, tilting his head to one side. “Why do you ask for this ‘bed-hug’?”

 

“I used to have bed-hugs with my father, but Deanna is here so often and my father told me not to go into his room.”

 

“I see.” Data is silent for a few seconds, processing the information. “We will discuss this further when the other adults are awake. You must go back to bed now.”

 

Alexander frowns, balling his fists.

 

“ _Bed_.” Data says firmly and the child dragged his feet reluctantly down the corridor and back to his own bedroom.

 

“What are you doing?” Jean-Luc grumbles sleepily as Data returns to their bed.

 

“I’ll tell you tomorrow.” The Android replies, kissing his husband’s forehead.

 

*****

 

“Alexander came to visit Jean-Luc and myself early this morning.”

 

Data, Worf, Deanna, Jean-Luc and Alexander sit round the kitchen table, strewn with the remains of breakfast and half-drunk mugs of tea and coffee.

 

“For what reason?” Worf glares at his son.

 

“I...” Alexander looks down at the table, the colour rising in his cheeks.

 

“He told me he wanted a ‘bed-hug’.” Data explains. “I declined and sent him back to his bed.”

 

“So that’s why you were sneaking back into bed...” Jean-Luc interjects, sipping his Earl Grey tea.

 

Worf sucks air through his teeth. “I apologise for my son’s behaviour. Alexander has embarrassed himself.”

 

“But Father! We never have bed-hugs together anymore. You’re too busy with _her_.” Alexander glares at Deanna, scrapes his chair back, and runs for the stairs.

 

“Let him go.” Deanna puts a hand on Worf’s arm as he rises to follow. “It seems to me that Alexander has been feeling neglected since I started staying over.”

 

“He’s a big child. He should be growing out of this ‘bed-hugs’ business.” Worf grumbles.

 

“He is only six years old.” Deanna points out. She glances at the clock. “Ah! I’ve got to go, or I’ll be late for my first client!”

 

“Morning!” Will Riker, the bird reserve’s vet, bustles in, the wind catching the door and slamming it behind him. “Any coffee going?”

 

Jean-Luc pours him a cup from a cafetière. Will pulls up a chair.

 

“There’s bird shit on your overalls.” Deanna observes on her way out the door.

 

“I’m hand-feeding eight herring gull chicks; bird shit in inevitable.” Will shrugs.

 

The others give him a pointed look.

 

“Alright.” He grumbles, and wanders off to remove the offending overalls before sitting down.

 

They disperse to start their days. Will to his patients scattered throughout the Southern mainland; Deanna to her work as a bereavement counsellor in Lerwick; Worf to the next-door cottage in his role as the ornithological team’s health and safety lead to brief team leader Dr Beverly Crusher and technical specialist Geordi on the safety aspects of Geordi’s planned abseil down an especially perilous stretch of cliff face to repair a camera trained on a nest of rare kittiwakes; and Data and Jean-Luc in their car to drop Jean-Luc at the nearby Jarlshof archaeological site before Data collects the group’s weekly groceries.

 

Jean-Luc had been delighted when his ornithologist husband had landed this role with the Sumburgh Head bird monitoring team. Shetland is an archaeologists’ dream, full of prehistoric remains. He had immediately called his head of department at the University to ask for a year-long sabbatical so he could join Data. Three months in and, so far, he hadn’t regretted a single day. Living with Data’s colleague Worf and his son in a former lighthouse keeper’s cottage with the other members of their team—Beverly and Geordi—living in the adjoining cottage felt like being part of a larger family, something Jean-Luc hadn’t had in a long time.

 

“Would you be averse to an occasional ‘bed-hug’ with Alexander?” He looks over at the Android in the driving seat as they descend the steep hill.

 

“No, I would not be.” Data replies.

 

“Perhaps we should talk to Worf.”

 

*****

 

“Sundays only. Not before 8 o’clock. Knock first. Do you agree?” Worf asks over the dinner table that evening.

 

“But Fridays?” Alexander protests. “What about Fridays too?”

 

“ _NO_!” Deanna and Worf shout in unison.

 

“Ok, Father.” Alexander concedes. Sundays only. After 8 o’clock. I’ll knock first.”

 

“Good. Then we’re all agreed.” Deanna smiles, making eye-contact with each member of the group.

 

Data, seated next to Jean-Luc, leans close. “You’d better start wearing pyjamas.” He says out the corner of his mouth.

 

*****

 

The cottage is in disarray; everyone is half-packed for their imminent return to their permanent homes. The ornithologists’ study is complete: data has been collected and analysed; reports written; and submissions prepared for several major journals. Kittiwake and puffin numbers are significantly down this year compared to a decade ago; fulmars are up. All that is left now is to tie up the loose ends of the lives they’ve built together over the last year. Worf and Deanna are spending a week camping on Unst, saying their goodbyes before Worf’s return to London. Deanna, a Shetland native, briefly considered moving to be near Worf and Alexander, but she just can’t leave her home.

 

At 7:56AM the bedroom door opens.

 

“Wakey, wakey, my love!” Data enters, carrying a mug of tea.

 

Alexander bounds in past the Android and leaps onto the bed.

 

“Uhhhh.” Jean-Luc groans and pulls the cover over his head. “No wriggling.”

 

“Ok.” Alexander promises and climbs over the sleepy archaeologist’s feet and under the duvet.

 

Data places the mug on the nightstand. “I have made you tea, Jean-Luc. Do not spill it.”

 

“Thanks.” Jean-Luc’s voice is muffled by the bedding.

 

“I have become accustomed to having a child around and your absence will be noted.” Data observes as he climbs into bed, gently shoving Alexander over.

 

“I’ll miss our bed-hugs.” Alexander replies, snuggling contentedly between Jean-Luc and Data.

 

“Me too.” Jean-Luc mumbles, still half-asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> OTP Challenge Day 10. Original prompt was “with animal ears” but I didn’t like it so wrote this AU loosely based on Sumburgh Head lighthouse on Shetland, which hosts a bird reserve, instead. I made Alexander younger than he is when he first arrives on the Enterprise because I wanted Picard and Data to be uncle figures to him while he’s young and cute. Worf and Deanna are dating, as per the final few episodes of TNG. Riker can deal with it.


End file.
